Spiders are cool. I find the dark comforting. I've recently learned to cope with cooties. However, get me 10 feet in the air, and my knees buckle. I am terrified of heights and I always have been. I can't remember the last time I stepped onto a standard Ferris wheel. So to get on a Tram to climb to Sandia Peak in New Mexico, a peak which is 11,000 feet, was a little discomforting. To be honest, I nearly backed out a couple of times... almost said I wasn't feeling well or that maybe I should save some money. But then it occurred to me that I may never get the opportunity to do this again in my life. I started thinking about the importance of being a "Yes man" and enjoying the experiences being put before me on this tour! So, with a poker face that probably looked like confused constipation, I carefully stepped onto the Tram as a group of us Whos were lifted toward the peak. With the strength and determination of a learned and seasoned ninja, I clamped onto a pole inside the Tram as we began the journey to the peak. The thought of being so high off the ground surprisingly disappeared within a minute or so, as it was eclipsed with breathtaking scenery. The color and majesty of these mountains and canyons were unlike anything I'd ever seen in person. It put to shame any video or picture I had previously seen.
CAUTION: Unfiltered sentimental confessions approaching.
The neat thing about the journey on the tram was the two peaks we passed before the final stretch. As we approached each peak, there was no way to see what was on the other side. When we reached the top of these peaks and then went over, there was a vastly different view and landscape to take in. As we reached the top of the second peak, we were suddenly able to view the very top. The beauty and vastness of the mountain left me speechless, but it was what covered the ground and trees that got me flat out emotional: snow. The frosted trees and the flurries falling... it all instantly had me thinking of a white Christmas. The first snowfall of the year is always so magical- I can remember exactly where I was for the first snowfall of the year for at least the last 5 years (that's for you, JRB). I think part of the reason I responded with such emotion was because this was unexpected... I mean, New Mexico in early November is not when I was anticipating seeing the first snow flakes of Winter. We got out and hiked around a bit. I found a spot covered with snow surrounded by frosted trees and just sat down to take it in. The wind was hovering in the 25-35 mph range, which felt strangely refreshing. I can't really describe the feeling: the way the flurries hit my cheeks and forehead, the distinct freshness of the air, it was magical. I teared up- I just couldn't hold it back. Whether it was nostalgia, humility in the presence of amazing Creation, or altitude sickness, I don't know- but I couldn't keep my eyes from watering. We spent a couple of hours walking around, hiking to different parts of the peak. We found different views, different formations, different landscapes, each one stunning in its own way. We made our way to a "cabin", pictured above, which was the highest point we could find. We climbed on top of the cabin and took in the view- I wish I knew how far I was seeing. The visibility was so amazing, I'm sure I was able to see over to Arizona. The whole experience was a day well spent and a fear worth facing. It just farther proved to me that value of doing things that scare you. I'm so glad I didn't rob myself of the things that I experienced up on that mountain, and my hope is that this will only encourage me to continue exploring without fear.
To finish out the week, I had some family in the audience on Saturday evening! My Uncle Randy and Aunt Molly live about 3.5 hours away, and they made the trip in to see Grinch on 5:00 Saturday. These are things that make tour go by a little faster, putting up "highlights" to look forward to. One of these highlights was having family in the audience. They saw the third show of our traditional "Four show Saturdays", which is a good show to watch because the cast is in full stride, filled with coffee and catering, and just loopy enough to make Whoville an awesome place to be. Not to mention the audience for that third show was incredibly active and ready to laugh! I was so glad they saw a show filled with so much mutual energy and life! I had just enough time to catch up with them outside the theatre, still caked with the charming make-up of the unofficial ladies' man of Whoville... Timey. Although I had to scoot back to the wood shop of the theatre, which is where our catering was set up, we made plans to have brunch at an authentic New Mexico cafe. I tried authentic red chile sauce with my omelette. For the locals, I'm sure this chile sauce is a nice little flavoring like ketchup or mustard. But for a bland and dairy-based palette such as mine, it provided a decent kick to wake me up! It was such a treat to catch up with Randy and Molly. I can't remember the last time I'd had a conversation with them, if ever. They've lived away from Wisconsin since I was born, so it wasn't always easy to get to know them or stay connected. However, I continue to learn that time or distance apart doesn't take away from the value of family. After a month on the road, catching up with family was just what I needed. They were gracious enough to not only take me to brunch, but also to take me around Old Town Albuquerque. After seeing some of the historic landmarks of the downtown area, I returned to the theatre to finish out another week of Grinch!
This week flew by much more than any of the others, perhaps because of the amount of cool experiences that were taken in. Just like that, we were on our way out! We woke up this morning to board a bus, which took us to the Albuquerque "Sunport", which transported us to Phoenix for a 30 minute visit before getting on a plane Salt Lake City bound. Another bus trip later, we find ourselves safe and warm in Utah. Anxious to report back on the mountains, the Mormons, the beautiful theatre, and the famous tabernacle down the street!
CAUTION: Unfiltered sentimental confessions approaching.
The neat thing about the journey on the tram was the two peaks we passed before the final stretch. As we approached each peak, there was no way to see what was on the other side. When we reached the top of these peaks and then went over, there was a vastly different view and landscape to take in. As we reached the top of the second peak, we were suddenly able to view the very top. The beauty and vastness of the mountain left me speechless, but it was what covered the ground and trees that got me flat out emotional: snow. The frosted trees and the flurries falling... it all instantly had me thinking of a white Christmas. The first snowfall of the year is always so magical- I can remember exactly where I was for the first snowfall of the year for at least the last 5 years (that's for you, JRB). I think part of the reason I responded with such emotion was because this was unexpected... I mean, New Mexico in early November is not when I was anticipating seeing the first snow flakes of Winter. We got out and hiked around a bit. I found a spot covered with snow surrounded by frosted trees and just sat down to take it in. The wind was hovering in the 25-35 mph range, which felt strangely refreshing. I can't really describe the feeling: the way the flurries hit my cheeks and forehead, the distinct freshness of the air, it was magical. I teared up- I just couldn't hold it back. Whether it was nostalgia, humility in the presence of amazing Creation, or altitude sickness, I don't know- but I couldn't keep my eyes from watering. We spent a couple of hours walking around, hiking to different parts of the peak. We found different views, different formations, different landscapes, each one stunning in its own way. We made our way to a "cabin", pictured above, which was the highest point we could find. We climbed on top of the cabin and took in the view- I wish I knew how far I was seeing. The visibility was so amazing, I'm sure I was able to see over to Arizona. The whole experience was a day well spent and a fear worth facing. It just farther proved to me that value of doing things that scare you. I'm so glad I didn't rob myself of the things that I experienced up on that mountain, and my hope is that this will only encourage me to continue exploring without fear.
To finish out the week, I had some family in the audience on Saturday evening! My Uncle Randy and Aunt Molly live about 3.5 hours away, and they made the trip in to see Grinch on 5:00 Saturday. These are things that make tour go by a little faster, putting up "highlights" to look forward to. One of these highlights was having family in the audience. They saw the third show of our traditional "Four show Saturdays", which is a good show to watch because the cast is in full stride, filled with coffee and catering, and just loopy enough to make Whoville an awesome place to be. Not to mention the audience for that third show was incredibly active and ready to laugh! I was so glad they saw a show filled with so much mutual energy and life! I had just enough time to catch up with them outside the theatre, still caked with the charming make-up of the unofficial ladies' man of Whoville... Timey. Although I had to scoot back to the wood shop of the theatre, which is where our catering was set up, we made plans to have brunch at an authentic New Mexico cafe. I tried authentic red chile sauce with my omelette. For the locals, I'm sure this chile sauce is a nice little flavoring like ketchup or mustard. But for a bland and dairy-based palette such as mine, it provided a decent kick to wake me up! It was such a treat to catch up with Randy and Molly. I can't remember the last time I'd had a conversation with them, if ever. They've lived away from Wisconsin since I was born, so it wasn't always easy to get to know them or stay connected. However, I continue to learn that time or distance apart doesn't take away from the value of family. After a month on the road, catching up with family was just what I needed. They were gracious enough to not only take me to brunch, but also to take me around Old Town Albuquerque. After seeing some of the historic landmarks of the downtown area, I returned to the theatre to finish out another week of Grinch!
This week flew by much more than any of the others, perhaps because of the amount of cool experiences that were taken in. Just like that, we were on our way out! We woke up this morning to board a bus, which took us to the Albuquerque "Sunport", which transported us to Phoenix for a 30 minute visit before getting on a plane Salt Lake City bound. Another bus trip later, we find ourselves safe and warm in Utah. Anxious to report back on the mountains, the Mormons, the beautiful theatre, and the famous tabernacle down the street!